


The Thing About Safe Spaces

by GothicPixi



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: (did you mean Canon Davenport?), Fluff, M/M, Taakitz adopts Angus, asexual Taako, brief mention of transphobia, just a little Ango character study, trans Davenport, trans angus, warning: dead name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-13 23:23:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14123073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicPixi/pseuds/GothicPixi
Summary: The Bureau of Balance had brought Angus the safest space he’d been in since his grandpa’s house. They all knew him as a boy there – the world’s greatest boy detective! They didn’t question that for a second. But Angus was…scared, just a little bit. He was a growing boy, just eleven years old, but he wasn’t in a body that would grow as a boy. He didn’t have hormone blockers or anything like that, and he wasn’t a high enough level to cast any magic that could simulate it.





	The Thing About Safe Spaces

**Author's Note:**

> This is buckwild, kiddos, but I legit wrote this for my college class. WGST writing intensives are great like that. The teacher literally made the journal assignment a fanfiction because of me.  
> We had to include some stuff we talked about in class, so I chose safe spaces, representation/misrepresentation, and unpacking trauma and unsubscribing to pre-assigned normalized boxes. Ignore how some of the time stuff doesn’t work, b/c time is a social construct just like gender.  
> Enjoy some Trans!Angus <3

The Bureau of Balance had brought Angus the safest space he’d been in since his grandpa’s house. They all knew him as a boy there – the world’s greatest boy detective! They didn’t question that for a second. But Angus was…scared, just a little bit. He was a growing boy, just eleven years old, but he wasn’t in a body that would grow as a boy. He didn’t have hormone blockers or anything like that, and he wasn’t a high enough level to cast any magic that could simulate it. He didn’t have access to those books anyway, not without pulling some serious strings and claiming some major favors. So, he worked, and he ignored it, and he fought during the final battle of Story and Song. After they defeated the Hunger, Angus wasn’t sure what to do. His skills wouldn’t be that useful for the fresh Bureau of Benevolence. He could go back to working as a freelance detective, travelling to help different governments, militias, and private clients. He could attend Lucas’s new academy. That last one was the best idea, and he could freelance on the weekends. He’d been saving up his BoB paychecks to purchase blockers, but he couldn’t sign off on them without a guardian. Angus didn’t have a guardian anymore.

 

He wasn’t sure if the paperwork went through to transfer him to someone after his grandpa passed. He had been there, after meeting Taako, Merle, and Magnus on the train. It was just Angus, his grandpa, and his grandpa’s live in caretaker. She gave the death certificate to the Neverwinter city hall, but Angus hadn’t been contacted or anything about his new parental condition. He guessed he was an orphan now? He’d already felt like that anyway, after his birth parents kicked him out at just eight years old. He told them he didn’t want to go by Angelina anymore, that he was a boy. They said no MacDaniel would be that disgraceful or disgusting – they’d had a daughter. So, Angelina MacDaniel was disowned, and Angus McDonald was taken in by his maternal grandfather.

 

It was about a month after Story and Song. Angus was packing up his stuff on the moon base, still uncertain of where he was taking it. Probably to his grandpa’s house, which was his now, until he could move into the dormitory at Lucas’s school. His application had gotten in very fast, and he had a full ride. The construction was well underway, definitely going to be done in the few short months before the school year started. He had just finished boxing up one of his bookshelves when there was a knock on his door.

 

“Come in!” He called. He turned around, wiping some of the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Leaning against the doorframe was Taako Yuno-fromtivi, missing his large hat so Angus could see the dark roots of his otherwise bleached hair, styled today in two fishtail braids. He knew that because Lup and Magnus had taught him a bunch of braiding techniques a few weeks before. “Hello sir!”

 

“Hey little man. How’s it hanging?” Taako’s arms were crossed, trying to appear as casual and uninterested as possible. He wore a vibrant shift dress, white lace tights, and knee-high boots. His makeup – part of his daily Disguise Self charm – was lighter and less dramatic than usual, though his lipstick was bright.

 

“It’s going well, sir! I’m on schedule to be done by the afternoon if I don’t stop for lunch.” Angus pushed his two boxes of books closer to his desk, where those supplies were already put away in his backpack. Taako eyed him.

 

“You are most definitely stopping for lunch, Agnes. All this hard labor— “

 

“It isn’t that hard, Taako.” Angus interrupted, but Taako ignored him.

 

“-is going to make you hungry. Lup and I are grilling today, so you aren’t missing that. It’s not every day I come on this dumb base now, and you shouldn’t be taking this Taako Time for granted.”

 

“Sir, I really need to finish packing...” Taako entered the room now, flopping onto the still made bed.

 

“Where are you moving to, Angus?” The elf didn’t look at the young boy when he asked this. He lay on his back on the small bed, twisting one of his braids idly.

 

“I-I’m not entirely sure right now, sir. I think I’ll just work out of the house grandpa left me until the dormitory is built.” Angus was curious as to why Taako wanted to know. The elf didn’t come to the base often – Lucretia wasn’t on it today, which was probably why he was there – and he didn’t just pop in and visit people. Taako had come to Angus’s room, and there was a reason for that. Explanations were already forming rapid fire in his brain.

 

“A baby like you, all alone?” Taako sat up suddenly, glaring at the boy, who nodded meekly.  “Absolutely not!” The wizard stood, closing the distance between him and his apprentice. “You’re moving in to my house, kid, and you’re going to like it.” Angus was speechless. “Kravitz is there, and Lup and Barry, so I hope you’re alright with that because it ain’t changing.” He flicked Angus’s nose. The kid still said nothing, just stared awestruck at Taako. A hand was waved in his face. “You still in there, Ango? I know it’s an incredible opportunity to live with the saviors of this whole planar system, but—” He stopped when Angus hugged him. The front of his dress was now damp with tears.

 

“Oh, thank you so much, sir! I can’t-I didn’t want to be all alone, and I didn’t know if anyone would take me in. I don’t have a family anymore and you guys are the closest I have now. Thank you, sir, I love you.” Angus squished his face into Taako’s chest, making his voice hard to understand. Taako awkwardly pat the kid on the head, unsure of what to do. Taako didn’t do affection like this, not just yet. He hadn’t gotten used to it again.

 

“You’re, um, all good or whatever, pumpkin. No need to thank ol’Taako here. I’m just giving you a room, not like you’re not expected to do some chores.”

 

“I’ll do anything if It means I can stay with you.” Taako almost didn’t catch that. His breath caught. This kid would be the end of him, with all the feelings he made Taako feel. He wrapped his arms around Angus finally, keeping him close.

 

“I will say this exactly once, boychik, and you better not freak out. Taako doesn’t do emotions all that well, think you’ve figure that out, but… IloveyoutooandIwouldadoptyouifyouaskedme.” They stood in silence for a long moment, just holding each other. Angus had stopped crying. He shuffled a few inches back from Taako, but the elf’s arms were still around him enough.

 

“Will you...a-adopt me, sir?” Angus looked at him, eyes puffy and face a little wet. Taako was reminded of how young and vulnerable the kid was. Pan, he’d do anything for this baby human. Taako nodded, not trusting his voice. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but Angus saw the adoration in his eyes. The kid noticed everything, it was unfair. They hugged again and talked a little more. Taako used a spell to pack the rest of Angus’s things and transport them to their new home.

 

“Let’s go get some food, bubeluh. Lulu’s gonna freak – she wasn’t expecting to get a nephew today.”

The papers went through fast, given the high profile and importance. Angus hadn’t been given another guardian after his grandpa passed, so it wouldn’t be too hard anyway. His grandpa had already gotten Angus’s name legally changed, but now he was Angus McDonald-Yuno-fromtivi. He wasn’t going to change his business cards, but it was nice to know personally. He’d been living with Taako and Kravitz (and Lup and Barry) for a few weeks when he finally brought up an important topic. Lup had recently gotten her body back, so her and Barry were on a trip. Taako, Kravitz, and Angus were making dinner – a simple pasta dish they all enjoyed, nothing too ridiculous.

 

“Taako, could you sign some forms for me?”

 

“What for, exactly? Taako doesn’t usually just give away signatures.”

 

“I need to start hormone blockers. I have enough money for it, but they wouldn’t let me get them without parental permission.” Angus was nervous to admit this all, but he was comfortable with Taako and Kravitz. With Lup and Captain Davenport being trans, he knew they had knowledge of the process. Taako stopped stirring the sauce to look over at his new son.

 

“Of course, _Ethuil’Anna._ You should have told us sooner. We’ll go in the morning, so you can get that shit in you right away. Don’t want stuff to happen that you don’t want.”

 

“I wouldn’t have to worry for another year of two – MacDaniels are historically late bloomers.” He didn’t feel comfortable saying their name, but it was true. Taako narrowed his eyes.

 

“Don’t say that wretched name in our home ever again. They don’t deserve to be acknowledged by you.” He turned back to his sauce. They had had a long conversation about Angus’s upbringing the first night the boy had a nightmare in his new home. It took a lot to stop Taako from storming to Angus’s childhood home and burning the place down with the MacDaniels inside.

 

“Yes, sir.” Angus had to agree. He knew he was safe here, that he would be listened to, respected, and loved. He wasn’t a status symbol here, or a toy, or a prized possession. He could make his own decisions, speak his opinion, and dress and act how he wanted to. His strict upbringing still held fast in a lot of his actions, but Angus wasn’t as afraid of stereotypical femininity now as he was when he first transitioned. Magnus painted his nails and Taako bought him a few skirts (the sales clerk had been a bit rude and Taako snapped: “You think I’ll dress like a heterosexual and play by your rules? Hilarious. How much is this skirt?”). He kept his hair fairly short because he preferred it that way, but Lup helped him style it sometimes. If he grew it a little longer, Kravitz would probably be able to dread and bead it, which was an attractive option.

 

He got blockers the very next day, and he was glad about that. They even set up a plan to get him on hormones the moment it was healthy to start him on them. The next few months flew by, and now it was only a few weeks before he’d be starting school. Taako and Kravitz were on a trip to visit Hurley and Sloane in Goldcliff – Angus had stayed behind to wrap up a case – and Lup and Barry were on a longer reaper mission. Davenport had docked recently and was selected to “babysit” Angus for the week. It was an interesting experience, as the captain had so many stories to share and was not perturbed in the slightest by Angus’s million questions. Davenport was now usually calm and quiet. He still found it difficult to trust his voice, and he avoided saying his own name. Angus supposed it would be quiet traumatizing, to live for eleven years only communicating through his own name and then remembering a whole life that was defined by so much more. The detective brought this up one night.

 

“My name is v-very important to me still. I c-chose it myself, so of course it is. D-Dav-Davenport Dav- it was my great-great-grandfather’s name. I da-d-didn’t start my full transition until I started flight school. I wonder sometimes if I had d-done it later, if I would have remembered.”

 

“I’m sure Ms. Lucretia would have found a way to make sure you remembered your transition, sir. It would be even crueler to put you through everything she did and then also have to understand the body you were in contradicting your memories.”

 

“I suppose you’re r-right, Angus. She could have been crueler. I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

“I, you know what? Not gonna argue about this again.”

 

“Let’s m-move on. D-do you want to hear the best moments of Taako and his sexuality? He sure was an obnoxious one.”

 

“Yes please! Favorite quote?”

 

“Hmmm. C-cycle 76: “I j-joke about sex because sex isn’t real for me, it’s literally a j-joke. I was born in a no bone zone and that is where I will exist until my end of d-days.”.”

\------

Angus loved his family. He loved his dads, his home, and his new life. He was sixteen, on testosterone, the world’s greatest detective, and a teacher at both Lucas and Taako’s schools. He was loud and proud. He was smart, he was trans, and he was valuable. He helped his _ada_ start Neverwinter’s Pride Parades, and Lucas’s academy’s LGBT+ Center. He was in the dedication of the newest Caleb Cleveland novel. He was more than a little kid, a project, or a legacy. He was Angus McDonald-Yuno-fromtivi. He was happy, loved and safe. This was the ending he earned.

**Author's Note:**

> Ethuil’Anna basically translates to Spring Gift in the LOTR elven. Ada is the shortening of adar which means Father.


End file.
